The robot battle sparks the interest of girls to join STEM fields. More women in STEM are needed
Even in 2022, certain women in STEM still experience gender bias in STEM industries as they are discouraged from pursuing careers in math, engineering, and mechanics (STEM field) on the grounds that they will find it too challenging. Women in robotics who are developing and fighting robots find it perplexing that just 15% of engineers are women, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
Women make up 50% of the population but only 16–18% women in STEM are present at the moment. When I was growing up, a high school physics teacher told me that girls shouldn’t study physics, according to Hopper, president of FIRST NC, the group holding this all-female competition.
The G-Force Robotics team, an all-girls high school robotics team, made headlines a few months ago while they were getting ready for their first off-season competition. These women in robotics were not combat tested at the time, and neither was their robot, Electra, but the FIRST NC Robotics Competition Doyenne Inspiration gave them the chance to show what a novice team was capable of.
Any female or non-binary student who might be disregarded on a coed team is welcome to participate in this competition. At Chapel Hill High School, the women in STEM gathered, and seventeen female teams were present for a full-day competition that included 23 consecutive qualification matches before the finals. Their robot was designed to work both autonomously and under the control of a driver and operator. Both abilities were tested in this competition.
Broken climbing arm notwithstanding, G-Force won this tournament and took home the award. The public is welcome to attend all of their matches for free and to support these STEM trailblazers. It’s about motivating our youth, especially the girls to achieve more in the STEM field, to mature, and become their best selves, not just about creating robots.
Women in STEM. Why So Less?
The two most profitable STEM fields, engineering and computer science remain overwhelmingly male-dominated. Among engineering majors, women make up just 21%, whereas computer science majors make up 19%. Giving women in technology the same chances as men to pursue and succeed in STEM occupations contributes to the reduction of the gender bias in STEM, increases the financial security of women, assures a competent and diverse STEM workforce, and eliminates biases in these disciplines and the goods and services they generate.
According to Pew Research Center, the average STEM worker makes two thirds more than those who work in other professions. Additionally, the lowest proportions of women in STEM are employed in some of the STEM fields with the greatest salaries, such as computer science and engineering.
Principal Causes of the Gender Bias in STEM
Stereotypes of Gender:
STEM occupations are frequently perceived as being masculine, and parents and teachers frequently underrate the numerical skills of girls beginning in preschool.
Cultures Dominated by Men:
Because there are fewer women in STEM fields, these industries frequently maintain rigid, exclusive, male-dominated cultures that do not value or appeal to women and minorities.
Less Role Models:
Because there are fewer examples of female scientists and engineers in books, the media, and popular culture, girls are less likely to be inspired to pursue careers in these professions. Even fewer Black women serve as role models in the sciences and math.
The Gap due to Lack of Confidence:
It is imperative that parents and educators work together to expose girls to inspiring role models of women in robotics and STEM fields in order to close this alarming gap. Early encounters will boost confidence for young women in technology and other areas. Young women will also start to understand that “failure” is ok and is a crucial step on the way to success as a result of the process of designing and creating, testing, failing, and retesting.
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